No Shit, Sherlock
by ChaoticBanter
Summary: When twenty-three year old Gwendolyn Pollock receives an offer from her cousin about an available flat in London, she can't refuse. She invites her friends, Melissa and Addison, to come live with her and strive in this new country. But what they don't know is that Baker Street is home to none other than the world's only consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes.
1. Prologue I: Gwen

I knew from the moment I stepped out of the airport and into the gray streets of London that everything was going to change.  
>I knew very well that just one more step would catapult my new life into full motion. All I needed was a little push, although it almost felt like walking on a tightrope. Blindfolded. I knew that making it across was the goal and that falling was the worst case scenario, but I had no idea <em>where<em> I was going. I didn't mind it, though. I needed more than what I could find at home.  
>Some might say that I was running from my problems, but really I was only seeking out new ones.<br>Looking back, I now realize how much I have grown since the childlike wonder I felt that day, as well as how empty my life would have been without the people I was soon to meet.  
>And even though I was going to make horrible mistakes, fall in love with the wrong people, and suffer from heartbreak yet again, I would never change a thing.<p> 


	2. Prologue II: Melissa

My life was already dwindling like a dying star in this impending universe and when I had moved across the Atlantic Ocean, my star was ignited once again. I just wish I knew how abrupt it would begin and how fast it would hit me like a brick to the face. And let me tell you, that shit hurts like hell.

But not as bad as the events that test how much our hearts can endure; not as bad as watching your friends break down, one layer at a time, and watching the ones you love fall deeper into the holes they have dug themselves into. But I've been raised to push through anything, and push through anything I shall.


	3. Prologue III: Dylan

I have no mother and no father; they both died many years ago. I never knew either. But that's not to say I have no strong parental figures. Jimmy -my brother- and his employee/best friend, Sebastian, have raised me for as long as I can remember. Sebastian may as well be my father and Jimmy my mother.

Whenever I would feel sad, Jimmy would tell me, "Life's too short to let it get to you. Once you're not too short, you can get to it". It never really made me feel better, but now that I'm not too short, Jimmy's been holding up his end of the deal.

I'm Dylan Moriarty. Art is my world and, in a way, my world is art. Everything I see inspires me in one way or another and there's not enough time in my life to get it all out. Some of my works have been sold, but that's not why I create. I create for sanctuary; I create for myself; I create so in one tiny place in the world, beauty outweighs the sadness and pain that tethers me from flying.


	4. Chapter One: To London

I was going to England. _Me_, Gwendolyn Pollock, who has never once stepped outside the United States (with the exception of that road trip I had to Canada my sophomore year of college), was going to England. Well, I should say "we". My closest friends, Addie and Melissa, were joining me.

Addison Dacosta, a massage therapist in Tampa, Florida, had been my friend since I had moved to New York from Texas in sixth grade. She was what I would call an "Amazon". She was tall -five foot ten- with long brown waves that touched her waist and seductive sky-blue eyes. She had an attitude that could topple dictators, but she was fiercely loyal to her loved ones and knew how to calm me down when I was at my craziest.

Melissa Giordano had just graduated from the Manhattan School of Music, her career as a musician yet to be established. She had short honey-blonde curls (though she often straightened them), a round face with rosy cheeks, and aqua-blue eyes that always brightened when she smiled. She had all of the adorable sweetness of a cherub, as well as a contagious (and frequently used) laugh. She was also an old school friend.

I was an artist in every form of the word. I dabbled in acting, singing, drawing, writing, the works. I had long, straight blonde hair that skimmed my lower back, blue eyes that often changed to green or gray, and an ass the size of my home state. I was smart, funny, and the craziest bitch that had ever walked the surface of the earth.

A couple of months previous to our decision to up and leave, my friends and I were in the beginning stages of losing touch. I was directing an off-Broadway production of Annie in New York City when Mel called and asked if I could attend her college graduation. Beyond messaging on Facebook and less than frequent Skype chats, I hadn't seen her much, so I naturally couldn't refuse.

She told me that Addie would also be coming and I began to jump and yelp with joy, startling my actors in the process. After hanging up, I applied my "business" face to cover for my childish behavior, but there was no hiding my happiness at the unexpected invitation.

Rejoining old friends in idle merriment was one sure way to forget the bad things that had occurred over the last year.

My ex-fiancé, who I had met in college, went from being my true love to my worst enemy. I had thought that I knew him, but after he proposed, things got out of hand. He began to argue with me over nothing, would be overprotective to the point of imprisonment as well as overly jealous of anyone I talked to, and became aggressive towards me.

It started with grabbing me around the arm and leaving bruises and ended with his threats against my life. I was fed up with his manipulative ways and instability, so I severed any remaining ties to him. It was, to say the absolute least, difficult to let him go- to push him out of my thoughts- but I knew it was for the best.

I tried to drown out the loneliness and pain with my work, but to no avail. I needed a break from life and this simple graduation ceremony was my perfect escape.

That following Friday I headed out for Manhattan, wearing a gray tweed pencil skirt, my favorite two inch black pumps, and a white shirt with just enough buttons open to reveal a bit of cleavage. I curled my hair into loose ringlets and pinned up the top half before I applied a light red lipstick.

Upon exiting the taxi, I marveled at the sharp contrast of the plain, white-wash brick of the building against the crimson banners that billowed above the entrance. Once inside, I made my way into the auditorium where the ceremony was to take place.

I scanned the large room for Addison, but couldn't see her in any direction I turned.

The ceremony went without a hitch, making it _extremely_ boring. I wolf-whistled, though, when Lissie walked onstage to get her diploma, looking as cute as could be in her little cap, her black heels peeking out from under her gown. The color in her cheeks rose as she shook hands with the dean.

As soon as it ended, the entire audience poured into the hallway to greet the graduates. I stood on my tiptoes in search of my friends when I saw the top of Addie's head, towering over most of the people there. She was wearing heels, I just knew it.

I snuck my way up behind her and wrapped my limbs around her waist. She screamed in surprise, slapped my arm playfully, and then all three of us danced around in a group hug.

"I'm so happy, you guys!" Melissa exclaimed, "I can do what I want without worrying about getting to class on time! No more awkward nights of sleeping in the dorm hallway because my roommate's boyfriend decided to spend the night! No more hand-cramping notes! No more confusing tests! I'M A FREE WOMAN!"

To this we all laughed. After a few minutes of chatting, I suddenly remembered that Mel's family had also attended this very important occasion. "So where's your familia?" I asked, glancing around.

"Huh? Oh! They, uh, they left just before you got over here. Holly's hip-hop competition is later tonight and Brandon didn't take off of work, so they couldn't stay long." She shrugged.

"Aw, too bad. I haven't seen them in forever." I said of her eighteen year old sister and twenty-seven year old brother, "Oh well. Wanna go get dinner?"

They both nodded and a few minutes later we were in a cab headed for Olive Garden. As we ate, we caught up on the events of the past few months and agreed to spend the night at Melissa's new apartment. We stayed up till the wee hours of the morning just talking and laughing to the point of tears, delusional in our exhaustion (a common occurrence during sleepovers).

The next day we were walking over to a diner down the block for brunch when a small old man in a beat up windbreaker handed me a pamphlet. Out of pity I accepted it and slid it into my purse before we entered the building. After finishing our meal, I pulled it from my bag and began to read it aloud.

It was something about the extensive vacation spots in Florida, but as soon as I said the state's name, we all looked at each other.

"Are _you_ thinkin' what _I'm_ thinkin'?" Addie asked. Then in unison, all three of us shouted:

"ROAD TRIP!"

* * *

><p>The following day we had all our luggage packed into Addison's red Ford pickup and headed off for the sunny state of FL. We stayed in Addison's apartment in Tampa and spent most of our time on the beach. Mel and I would only be there for two weeks, so we made the best of it.<p>

About a week and a half in, my cousin, Connor, called me as I was leisurely strolling through the mall.

"Hey, Gwen. You know how Irene and I moved to England a few months ago because she bought that café in London?" He asked.

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, remember how you told me that you wouldn't mind living here yourself? Guess what..."

"What?"

"There's a flat a couple doors down from our place that's for rent. I called the landlord and told him that you might be interested."

"OH MY GOD! _INTERESTED_?!" I exclaimed, "Yes! I am! I AM! Gimme the number!"

I jotted it down on my coffee napkin as my friends looked at me in confusion.

"Okay. I'll talk to you later... _neighbor_." He said with a laugh.

"Yeah, see you soon! Thanks!" I hung up my phone and jumped in the air, squealing.

"What the hell was that about?" Addison asked.

"It was Connor. He said that there's an apartment for rent next door to him... IN LONDON!"

"Lucky!" Liss exclaimed with a hint of jealousy.

As we walked into Forever 21 in thoughtful silence, I suddenly got the craziest idea I have ever had (which is really something, considering all of my other ones).

"What if we all move in together and share the rent?" I held my breath, waiting for an answer.

They glanced at each other and Melissa spoke, "Let's do it."


End file.
